I shared this idea for this year’s Mother’s Day, but of course it does not stop there. I think it absolutely can be the star of your picnic, especially if kids are involved! These Mini Brioche Doughnuts in Egg Cartons are not only super cute, but also very practical for carrying around. To me, when it comes to picnic, I love to have more options rather than committing to one big doughnut. You can do 1 flavor per egg carton and have as many flavors as you want!
The dough can be prepared one night before and put in the fridge for slow proofing. All you need to do the next morning is frying up some fresh doughnuts, put them in clean egg cartons and you’re ready to rock & roll!
If you still cannot tell by now, the secret of an epic picnic is smaller portions. Picnics essentially are like buffets. Everyone wants more varieties but only has one stomach. Therefore, having a mini version not only adds more options, but also reduces waste. Plus, eating at picnics can get a little messy. Bite size definitely solves that problem.
I took these Mini Banana Bread Bites to a Book Larder (a cookbook store in Seattle) event and they work great! The banana bread base itself is not very sweet, but a little cream cheese frosting on top takes it to the next level. Scroll down to find out the recipe!
Alright, alright. Sometimes you don’t feel planning ahead. You just want to enjoy the weather and have a picnic outside. I hear you. That’s why having some tea cookies on hand is always a good idea! My Best British Earl Tea Shortbread and 10+5 Almond Crisp is a winning duo (you can use up the egg white leftovers from shortbread to make almond crisp). Do I need to say they taste AMAZING? Needless to say, they’re so handy for a quick-afternoon-tea-kinda-fancy-picnic.
Now comes to my favorite part – drinks! Lemonade obviously is the classic choice, but at this time of the year, I don’t feel like drinking lemonade yet. At least It’s not that hot in Seattle around Memorial Day. But you still need some special drinks for a stellar picnic. Momofuku’s Cereal Milk. This thing seriously is addicting. It’s so easy to make (hello, only 4 ingredients!). I will not tell you how many bottles of homemade Cereal Milk I have consumed. Let me pretend I’m a grown up adult who drinks fancy sangria or champagnes at picnic, but all I want is Momofuku’s Cereal Milk (or make Cereal Milk White Russian. Win-win!).
I personally have never brought frozen treats to picnics because I don’t have a cooler. However, when I got invited to a friend’s picnic, whoever brought frozen treats definitely won the picnic game. I have this Japanese Ultra Easy Vanilla Bean Gelato recipe on the blog and it’s really easy to make! You don’t even need an ice-cream machine. Make it, bring it to your next summer picnic and prepare to be the star;)
Banana Bread Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: About 32-36 mini bites
Author: HerBakingLab
Banana Bread recipe adapted from Sunny_Kreglo
Banana Bread Materials:
1. 2 very ripe bananas, peeled
2. 2 large eggs
3. 50g (2 tbsp) coconut oil or unsalted butter
4. 50g (1⁄4 cup) coconut sugar or brown sugar
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
6. 120g (1⁄2 cup) plain yogurt
7. 200g (1 3⁄4 cup) whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
8. 1⁄4 tsp baking soda
9. 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
10. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
11. 1⁄2 tsp sea salt
Cream Cheese Frosting Materials:
1. 110 g (4oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
2. 1⁄4 cup (half stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3. 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla paste/extract
5. pinch of kosher salt
Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a mini cupcake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir the melted oil into the mashed bananas. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and plain yogurt into the bowl. Mix well.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add step 2 into the mixing bowl. Gently stir the mixture together. Do not overmix.
4. Using a small ice-cream scoop or a spoon, fill the mini cupcake pan till 2⁄3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
5. To make cream cheese frosting, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, scraping down as needed, until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and add powdered sugar, vanilla paste and salt. Beat until combined.
6. Use a spoon or a frosting spatula, coat the top of your cooled banana bread bites with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with toasted pecans, chocolate chips or anything you desired.
